16 May 2022
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Senators applaud Mexico’s Full Market Access for potatoes
SENATORS in Idaho, in the US, have publicly welcomed USDA's recent announcement that Mexico is granting full market access for US fresh potatoes, with the first shipment into Mexico coming from Idaho, stating that it is a positive step towards resolving a long-standing dispute.
Idaho Senators U.S. Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jim Risch (R-Idaho) issued the following statements after the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that Mexico is granting full market access for U.S. fresh potatoes, with the first shipment into Mexico coming from Idaho.
Mike Crapo said: “Addressing this decades-long dispute is a significant step forward in improving and strengthening our trade relationship with Mexico. While this is a positive development, we must continue to monitor Mexico’s compliance with USMCA to ensure every aspect is fully enforced and the agreement lives up to its full potential.”
Jim Risch added: “Today’s development has been a long time in the making. I’m glad to see this initial shipment of fresh Idaho potatoes granted access to Mexico, but this needs to be the first step of many. Potato growers in Idaho and across the country were promised meaningful market access more than 15 years ago, and Mexico has a responsibility to make good on its pledge to our farmers.”
While Mexico is the largest market for US potatoes, until now, imports of fresh U.S. potatoes have been limited to a roughly 16 mile area along the US-Mexico border. The US and Mexico reached an agreement late last year to expand market access for U.S. potatoes, something that the United States has actively sought for more than 15 years. The National Potato Council (NPC) estimates full market potential for fresh table potatoes could reach $250 million a year.
Source: Daily Fly Photo: Jorge Aguilar
